Chapter 1

                                   Chapter 1

That day the rain was pouring down on the house, making a noisy clicking sound on the roof while the sun had not yet risen and yet Leonardo was already standing, awake for some time watching the water boiling on the gas.

He turned it off gently by turning the white knob to the left, poured the still steaming water into a ceramic cup and threw in a commercial tea bag, simply holding it flat on the bottom with a teaspoon, meanwhile he rested his still sleeping cheek on his right hand, expecting to see the sun rises.

Like every morning, the star began to lazily illuminate Leonardo's home with the first rays of its light, highlighting a certain disorder that the owner often called "organized chaos".

<< Good morning sir, awake already? >> a rather persuasive female voice asked;

<< Today is a great day my dear Nancy or have you already forgotten? Yet last night I set the event on your calendar >> Leonardo retorted, staring at the robot-maid who approached him and offered him the shirt.

<< How could I forget? Today is January 1, 2070 and she has to move to Sicily to begin astronaut training, a truly special day that needs to be celebrated so I took the liberty of preparing her favorite dessert: orange cake >> replied the android leaning on the oak wood table a tasty sponge cake that gave off such a satisfying scent that it made you want to devour it in one bite.

Ever since the Universal Robot Enterprise began marketing humanoid robots capable of carrying out any domestic task, every family had decided to adopt one and Leonardo was no exception.

They could be purchased of various sizes and nature, there were three types:

1. The companion one for the little ones, specifically designed to stay with children when their parents were not present in their respective homes;

2. The home one (purchased from Leonardo) capable of carrying out any household activity including ordering groceries on the metaverse or dinner at home from the restaurant;

3. The one as a bodyguard with integrated functions deriving from his military counterparts employed in theaters of war (the latter available only for the armed forces): he was able to perform any move of any existing martial art, he knew how to use weapons fire and was able to take a bullet for the owner if he detected an intruder ready to fire on his owner.

The latter was the most expensive but Leonardo wasn't interested even though he had wanted one more than once, especially as a child when he had been repeatedly humiliated by his classmates despite being identical to them.

Born in Vinci on 25 December 2048, a small Tuscan town of a few hundred souls, from an early age he had shown a passion for space and together with his parents he often went to look at the stars on the roof of the house on nights when the sky allowed.

After finishing scientific high school he enrolled in the faculty of space engineering at the Polytechnic of Turin in the hope of being able to follow in the footsteps of his parents, both of whom graduated from the same university in the same faculty.

Approximately 1.90 meters tall, blue eyes like the sea and black hair, sweet features like those of his mother combined with a strong and decisive look taken from his father, Leonardo had a light scar on his right cheek that he had gotten while trying to climb in a tree at the age of five.

Despite repeated interventions with the laser, a mark remained, visible especially when he exposed his face to the sun: in those moments a sort of lion's fang could clearly be seen poking out ferociously on the boy's skin.

<< Thank you for the dessert but I really have to go otherwise I will lose the maglev and I also have to return the magnetic code to the good Marcello. He really wants to say hello to me and yet I hope he doesn't get angry about the mess >> Leonardo reiterated, deactivating the robot.

In fact, Nancy, in order to keep up with her "controlled chaos", arrived at the end of the evening with the sodium ion battery completely discharged and more than once the graphene coating had worn out to the point that she had to replace it despite the apartment where he lived was only 60 square meters large.

Located in Corso Duca degli Abruzzi n°13, just a few minutes walk from both the Turin Polytechnic in Corso Castelfidardo and the Turin Porta Nuova maglev station in Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, it consisted of a kitchen which also served as a living room, a bathroom, the bedroom and another room that he had transformed into his personal study despite the fact that a dim golden light filtered in only during the day while most of the time it was overshadowed by the skyscrapers that had risen in recent years.

Not being able to take Nancy with him he had decided to give her to Marcello who on many occasions had shown himself willing to wait for him to pay the rent.

<< Blessed boy, what would your parents think if they knew how you live? >> he asked him several times, receiving a shrug of the shoulders in response.

The young man didn't like talking about it and in the end Marcello stopped asking having sensed that something dark was lurking in the heart and mind of his interlocutor.

Since he arrived in Turin Leonardo had not made even one friend despite demonstrating such remarkable genius as to win for two consecutive years the "Inventor of the Year" award given by the Polytechnic to the winner of a creative science competition in which he had to create something capable of radically changing people's lives, the fields of application could be the most disparate.

The competition focused on "core technologies" or technologies that represented the heart of every innovation such as semiconductors, biotechnology and artificial intelligence. In his first year, Leonardo presented "UnderWorld", a complex artificial intelligence capable of interacting with human beings extremely easily, so much so that it recorded a record score in the Turing test, a test in which the machine had to try to deceive an interlocutor human, avoiding being recognized as a robot.

During the second year he presented an innovative quantum interface called "Apollo" capable of interacting with "UnderWorld" whose fundamental characteristic was the ability to predict the change of viruses over time.

During his third year and later while he was studying for his master's degree, he decided to avoid taking part in the competition, perhaps out of a sense of superiority or simply because he didn't like it despite the fact that the rector had repeatedly ordered him to test himself again but he didn't want to. knowledge, preferring to concentrate on studies.

On several occasions he was offered the possibility of creating a start up to be able to get rich with his inventions, but instead he chose to make them "open source" so that anyone could access them for free to improve them without paying royalties in this regard.

His only goal was to become an astronaut and he didn't do it just for a mere personal passion, a much bigger reason pushed him so nothing and no one should get in the way of his plans so he had decided to banish any distractions from his life.

<< It's time to go >> exclaimed Leonardo, grabbing Nancy by the head and pushing the "Off" button, putting an end to yet another day of work for the robot.

He took his suitcase and headed towards the door which opened instantly thanks to facial recognition, after which he went out onto the landing and took one last look at what he had called home for the last five years of his life before closing it with his tattooed electronic bar code. on your left wrist.

He quickly went down the stairs, meeting Marcello in the lobby of the condominium, a man in his sixties with long gray hair gathered in a small ponytail behind his head, rather lively brown eyes and the look of someone who had seen too many in his life.

He was waiting for him, aware that he would probably never see that decisive yet carefree boy he had grown fond of again.

<< So today we say goodbye, here our paths diverge >> he said grabbing his left wrist and placing the tattoo eraser on it, making the electronic bar code that served as the house key vanish;

<< Well yes, the day has finally come but before going let me say that you have been a truly commendable host so I have decided to give you a small gift: from today Nancy is all yours, it's the least I can do to repay you with you considering how much patience you have had with me over the years.

I left it upstairs and although it is a slightly dated model, you can use it if you want to ask the next tenant for a higher rent >> Leonardo replied, taking his wrist again, checking that the barcode had really disappeared.

<< You were one of the quietest tenants I've ever had and even if you weren't always flawless with the rent I have to admit that I will miss you, in any case I also gave you a gift.

These days getting to the maglev station is a real nightmare so I took the liberty of calling you an eVTOL who is waiting for you on the roof of the building so you will arrive on time.

I ask you only one thing: promise me that one day you will come back to visit me, perhaps with a piece of Mars as a gift >> Marcello replied;

<< You can count on it >> Leonardo replied.

The boy turned to take the stairs when he felt himself being pulled from behind, Marcello grabbed him by the jacket and hugged him tightly.

<< Take care of yourself >> she whispered in his ear before letting him go.

He had never revealed it to anyone but many years before he had had a son who wanted to be an astronaut like Leonardo and had also succeeded.

Watching his former tenant quickly climb the stairs, he remembered the moments of joy he experienced on the day when the Italian Space Agency had selected his only heir to go to the asteroid belt for a scientific expedition.

He couldn't stand it anymore and he, his father, was overjoyed to see him so happy, however he was very worried because he was aware of how dangerous the journey beyond the Moon was but he didn't want to spoil the party so he limited himself to congratulating him.

Unfortunately he was not wrong, in fact the spaceship that transported him was hit by an asteroid as soon as it entered the aforementioned band, killing the entire crew.

Many rescue missions departed from the lunar base but it was all in vain, the bodies were never recovered and when he was given the news he couldn't recover for a long time.

<< I hope that fate is your friend, dear Leonardo and if you can bring me back my son if you ever come across his body during your journey >> he thought, holding a small image of his beloved child tightly to his chest.

Leonardo reached the roof in long strides where an autonomously guided eVTOL ("electric vertical take-off and landing" i.e. an electric plane with vertical take-off and landing) was waiting for him, ready to take him to his destination.

<< Please identify yourself >> ordered the artificial intelligence with which the vehicle was equipped.

Leonardo turned his gaze towards a camera and after a quick scan of his face a silver door opened on the right side of the aircraft inviting him to sit inside so as to lead him to the desired destination.

The young man looked back one last time with teary eyes before entering the flying taxi.

<< Welcome on board sir, I hope you will enjoy the trip. Now fasten your seatbelts because we are about to take off, we will be at our destination in exactly 6 minutes >> said the aircraft, turning on the engines.

They quickly gained altitude, lining up in the air lane reserved for flying taxis while Turin stood out in all its beauty and morning chaos below.

The city had changed a lot since Leonardo had arrived there years before and now boasted the title of "smart city" to all intents and purposes: the 10G mobile quantum connection had allowed the commercialization of artificial intelligence, revolutionizing people's lives.

Factories and transport had been completely automated and electrified including cars on the ground and although some rare accidents still occurred, especially on rainy and foggy days, mortality on the road had been reduced by 99% as well as that at work.

Artificial intelligence had not limited itself to entering mobility and production, even the mayor and political decision-makers at both municipal and national levels increasingly relied on predictive models made by AI, so much so that municipal deliberations had become a legacy of the past, this had made it possible to reduce the times and costs of bureaucracy by eliminating any possibility of corruption.

Thanks to 10G, machines powered by AI were able to communicate with each other, allowing rapid progress in public works, in fact Turin could boast one of the largest, most widespread and automated metropolitan systems in the world.

Another sector overturned by technology was that of advertising, in fact billboards powered by augmented reality became the new frontier of marketing and animals of all kinds could be seen popping out of a screen positioned in one of the city squares.

Within a few years, Turin had completely revolutionized itself also thanks to the presence of the Polytechnic whose space engineering faculty churned out aspiring astronauts that the Italian Space Agency sent on various missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

An entire spatial industrial chain was born and grown around the university, attracting hundreds of thousands of highly qualified workers from all over the world, causing the city's population to grow dramatically, which at that time numbered over 7 million people, giving Turin the record of the most populous city in Italy.

"Galileo" was responsible for managing the entire city and the enormous flow of information that was generated every second, a quantum computer whose computing power was indispensable to support the AI algorithms that made Turin so special.

During the flight Leonardo thought back to his five years spent in that place and passing over it he could not help but recognize the stadium for robot football, which in a short time had become a global passion capable of achieving the same popularity as the one played by people.

Personally he preferred it to the human version because it was based much more on science, human error was not conceived there.

At most, the programmers who wrote the algorithms that powered the robots were wrong, and seeing machines compete in one of the most creative sports in the world caused him an abnormal euphoria.

Absorbed in his thoughts, he didn't realize that the eVTOL was landing on the roof of the maglev station and only the persuasive metallic voice of the aircraft brought him back to Earth.

<<You can get out sir, we have arrived>> the car told him, opening the door.

Leonardo took his suitcase and rushed towards the entrance of the station reserved for those arriving from the sky, entering the enormous glass palace built only a few years earlier where maglevs, high-speed trains built with magnetic levitation technology, capable of reaching 850 km/h.

In the last five years the central government had quintupled the high-speed railway network by deciding to invest considerable resources in maglev technology and now all the cities were physically connected, including the islands thanks to the construction of underwater tunnels capable of connecting the mainland with Sardinia, Sicily and the other major islands, while to go to the smaller ones it was possible to use the eVTOLs that left from the airports every day.

It was as if an enormous spider had wrapped Italy in its web, instead it was the prodigies of technology and engineering that had made all this possible and once again the lion's share had been carried out by AI which had reduced by more than 70% of the time and cost of building any type of infrastructure.

Leonardo looked for his train but right at that moment the train conductor's hologram announced that it was a few minutes late due to a minor fault that occurred on one of the tracks. However, passengers were asked to wait on the benches in front of the respective stop. because the train wouldn't be long in coming.

Leonardo decided to listen to the hologram's advice and looking around he couldn't help but notice the majesty of the place where he found himself, an enormous building built with intelligent thermal glass and recyclable steel, capable of increasing or lowering the internal temperature based on to external weather conditions.

There were six entrances and as many exits, two of which were intended for those arriving by land, the same number for those disembarking from eVTOLs and the remainder were reserved for workers such as maintenance robots or guard robots who guaranteed the safety of the building.

Anyone who entered was immediately recognized via facial recognition and paid for the ticket instantly since the trip was booked from home and in fact the ticket offices had long since disappeared.

A large dome dominated the ceiling, designed along the lines of Brunelleschi's, on which a series of augmented reality advertisements alternated one after the other, forming a whirlwind of sounds and colors that bewitched travelers in transit. It was very easy to get distracted by those very innovative ads in which the customer was immersed in the product.

Raising his gaze Leonardo met that of a large and majestic virtual lion who was staring at him with two ruby eyes while under his paws stood the advertisement of the human football championship, that evening the final for the assignment of the title would be played, therefore the fans they were invited to follow the event on their virtual reality viewer.

A crowd of people dressed in the most disparate ways and coming from the four corners of the Earth was moving left and right, trampling on the white Carrara marble floor peppered with gold and silver reflections in the center of which stood a compass rose. emerald colour.

Guiding them were the various holograms that indicated to each one the right direction to take.

<<But how long is it taking?? Ugh>> thought the young man nervously looking at the atomic clock placed half-height above his head.

A few moments later the maglev arrived, stopping in front of his gaze, the doors of the vacuum tubes opened and the doors of the convoy did the same, letting the passengers off and ordering the new travelers to enter inside.

Leonardo took his suitcase and after entering the vacuum tube he crossed a platform of a few meters before entering the convoy, much more similar to an airplane as its aerodynamics were pushed to the maximum.

In order to reach such speeds, the maglevs needed to travel in special vacuum tubes so as to reduce friction with the air to a minimum and unlike the old high-speed trains they required a completely new aerodynamic design, in fact externally they resembled pointed arrows even if comforts were not lacking inside.

Each passenger had a personal cabin inside which there was a seat covered in comfortable red velvet with warm yellow lights positioned above the head of each traveler who could enjoy all possible comforts including high-speed metaverse connection, screen personalized dish for watching a film during the journey with attached latest generation headphones to better enjoy every single sound, virtual reality viewer that can be used to work by entering your login credentials and personal robot-waitress ready to satisfy any need.

In addition to this, each carriage was equipped with an open bar equipped with every possible drink and behind the golden marble counter a robot-bartender was ready to satisfy the most diverse tastes.

Each cabin was individual so Leonardo had to look for number 333 before he could finally sit down and enjoy the journey.

As soon as he sat down in his position, the robot in charge of taking care of that cabin immediately came forward asking him if he wanted anything in particular, they were very kind or at least their developers had done everything possible to make them appear so even if the metallic movements gave it away the nature.

<< I would like a plate of pasta with tomato sauce and a glass of water >> Leonardo asked, feeling his stomach growl having forgotten to taste Nancy's cake.

<< Of course sir , I have just sent the order to the kitchen which will be processed within a few minutes but in the meantime I invite you to make the payment. In total they make 30 digital euros >> replied the robot with its standard metallic tone.

Leonardo lent his face to facial recognition so the money was stolen from his wallet, his personal digital wallet.

The meal was served to him after a few minutes and he didn't care that some passengers looked at him rather annoyed as it was only 10 in the morning, he had to arrive at the training center in the best possible conditions and being hungry would not help him to do a good job. impression.

At 10.02 sharp the maglev started moving towards Sicily, the region where the Astronautical Headquarters of the Italian Space Agency was located, where future astronauts who over time would take part in the various missions in around the solar system.

While the headquarters of the Italian Space Agency was located in Rome in Via del Politecnico, for logistical reasons that of the Astronautical Headquarters was located in Palermo in Via dell'Arsenale, not far from the port with detachments throughout the island.

For example, Etna served as a platform for winter survival training, always useful if astronauts were forced to return to Earth in the middle of winter or if they were sent to other celestial bodies whose surface temperatures were very low such as Ganymede, satellite natural temperature of Jupiter where -164 °C was reached.

Leonardo made himself comfortable while savoring the spaghetti, looking out the window he could admire the splendid panorama, meanwhile the train accelerated until it reached the peak speed which would have allowed passengers to cover the 1,585.7 km of distance between the two cities in about 2 hours .

<< My belly, make a hut >> he thought, biting into the first forkful.

One thing that remained intact over the years was the quality of the pasta, in fact it had significantly improved thanks to the extensive use of intelligent organic farming in which thousands of drones of various sizes were used to optimize the use of the land by irrigating every single ear with the right amount of water.

After finishing the meal he wanted to relax a bit but immediately gave up, becoming progressively more thoughtful and as always only two figures appeared in his head, those of his parents.

Both became astronauts after completing the training process within the Italian Space Agency, they were selected to go to Pluto where a robotic probe sent on a previous mission had identified a potential deposit of Helium-3, an isotope essential for fusion nuclear, process by which humanity generated clean energy after giving up fossil fuels due to pollution.

Nuclear fusion had become the only source of energy on Earth however the main deposits in the United States, Qatar and Tanzania had long been exhausted while those on the Moon and on some asteroids were about to meet the same end however the growth of the population and of energy demand was beginning to raise questions about how much Helium-3 was still really available to humanity.

For this reason various robotic missions had been sent throughout the solar system in search of the precious isotope and after various failed attempts, finally a probe sent to Pluto had detected what could be a gigantic deposit capable of satisfying humanity for at least 1000 years.

The main problem was the distance as Pluto and the surrounding area were still unexplored and no mission sent to those places had returned so much so that many nations preferred to consider it an "off limits" area for their astronauts.

Leonardo's parents were well aware of the dangers they would face, however they decided to try their luck for the common good but their spacecraft which left from the Mars base lost its traces near Saturn and since then no one had had any news of it, pushing the The Italian Space Agency declared them missing in the universe, a nice way of saying that 99.9% of them were dead.

The day Leonardo heard the news was the same day he decided that when he grew up he would become an astronaut with the sole purpose of searching for the two people he loved most in the world.

On the one hand he cursed his parents' decision to dive into such a dangerous undertaking considering that they had a young son to raise. In fact, for many years he hated them, feeling abandoned and betrayed by them. However, as he grew up, he understood the noble motivations behind this gesture and therefore decided to follow their instructions. footsteps.

They had left the Martian base on January 1st and Leonardo found this coincidence funny given that the day he lost them would have been the same day he began his journey to follow in their footsteps.

A light smile appeared on his face and his cheeks, reddened by the cold, formed two inverted half-moons under his eyes, his gaze fixed on the horizon while the sun's rays filtering through the window highlighted the tooth-shaped scar. lion branded on his youthful face yet already marked by the events of life.

He gently caressed his scar with his fingers and then threw his back onto the seat, sinking into a sweet sleep that lulled him until he arrived at the Palermo station where a Space Agency employee was waiting to accompany him to the training center in where the apprenticeship journey would begin.

If everything had gone well he would have obtained the diploma of qualified astronaut leading him to explore the solar system.

<< Sir, please wake up, we are near the Palermo Centrale maglev station so I invite you to take your luggage and go to the exit. We thank you for choosing Maglev Italia, the company hopes to have you back as a customer soon >> the personal robot told him, shaking him from his torpor.

Leonardo woke up from sleep, still shaken by what he remembered about his parents at the beginning of the journey but he didn't have time to dwell on it too much, he had to concentrate on himself and on what he had planned for some time.

He took his luggage and, as advised, headed towards the entrance while the train, braking gently, was entering the Palermo station from which another chapter of his life would begin, undoubtedly the most important.

<<Are you an astronaut too? But how many are we this year? The competition will be fierce>> a girl asked him, moving next to him, taking him by surprise.

1.83 meters tall, long curly brown hair, emerald green eyes, freckles on her cheeks and a dazzling smile to dress up such sweet features that they seemed to have been sculpted by Michelangelo, not to mention her breathtaking curves.

Leonardo had never seen such a beautiful creature and in fact at first he didn't answer her.

<<Did someone bite your tongue or do you just don't want to have a conversation? Maybe give an advantage rival, I understand that>> the girl insisted, looking him up and down with an expression of disappointment;

<< I apologize, I just woke up and in these conditions I struggle to understand what is being said to me, in any case I am Leonardo, but what did you say your name was? >> he asked her, coming to his senses;

<< I didn't say it anyway, I'm Alice, very pleased. I asked you if you also signed up for the program to become an astronaut because on your suitcase there is a pin from this nation's Space Agency >> he pressed him.

On Leonardo's luggage there was a clearly visible round pin with a green background in the center of which stood a purple-red spaceship and inside the white border the motto written in black read "In astris vivimus semper".

<< Are you saying this? In fact, I am a candidate to become an astronaut, I studied space engineering at the Polytechnic of Turin which, as you know, produces practically all our astronauts.

Even though I have a good memory, I don't seem to remember that I was in my class >> Leonardo replied.

He stared at her, searching for her in the memories of his university years and yet he just couldn't remember that girl who was wearing torn jeans, black sneakers, a checked shirt with which she hid her protruding breasts and a black padded jacket while a headband held her in place. the thick hair.

<< Your efforts are useless because I didn't study in Turin but in Milan>> replied the girl, continuing to look at him askance.

Leonardo wondered what was wrong with him yet he was wearing white sneakers, tracksuit bottoms of the same color, a black wool sweater and a cream-coloured jacket, all completed with a gray wool cap.

<< Now a lot of things can be explained, I was starting to think that I was losing my mind but evidently that's not the case but let me tell you, yours was a very unusual choice because everyone knows that the Polytechnic of Turin has a very close partnership with the Space Agency . Why did you choose Milan? >> he asked her curiously;

<< I didn't want to move to another city otherwise who would look after my brothers and sisters? My parents work a lot to make ends meet and are never present at home so I decided to do both jobs, mother and student but now that my younger sister has reached the age of majority she will be the head of the family while I try to make the I have a lifelong dream of traveling among the stars and I can guarantee you that no one will be able to stop me from doing so >> he replied in a firm and decisive tone.

Meanwhile the train stopped and the doors opened while the platforms extended forward to lead the travelers towards the exit from the vacuum tube which within a few seconds filled with oxygen to allow the passengers to pass unharmed.

Being vacuum-packed, when the trains traveled there was no air inside them but to get people off an aeration system was created capable of filling the tubes with oxygen at the various stops and then sucking it back in once the train returned. movement.

Leonardo would have liked to answer her but he didn't have time, he was pushed forward by the crowd who was in such a hurry to get down that he received more than one shoulder and in the end he lost sight of her, in any case if she too was there for the job as an astronaut he would meet her again.

A strange sensation took possession of him for a few seconds but he couldn't explain it well as it was completely new to him, he had butterflies in his stomach and his brain felt foggy while the image of that girl was imprinted in his mind.

He got off the train remaining still for a few seconds, time slipped on him and every muscle in his was paralyzed, he couldn't move yet he was sure he felt good so why such immobility? Was it perhaps due to his meeting with Alice? Could it have shocked him enough to leave him in such a state?

Perhaps it was the change of environment that had disconcerted him, after all, from Turin to Palermo the climate and the ambient temperature were very different even if it seemed to him that it was cold in the same, identical way.

He probably would have remained in that state of hibernation for years or perhaps decades if the Space Agency employee who was waiting for him at the entrance hadn't arrived. Not seeing him arrive, he headed to the train yard hoping to find him there and did so. Well. When he saw him in that catatonic state he seemed more like a statue than a possible astronaut but it wasn't up to him to judge him.

<<Leonardo am I right? My name is Luca Dionisio and was sent here by the Italian Space Agency to take you Astronautical Headquarters where will begin process of becoming an astronaut or at least so we hope. Are OK? You look rather pale>> the man in his fifties introduced himself.

Leonardo looked at him carefully and at first did not respond, limiting himself to staring at that curly hair painted in silver placed on a broad forehead that dominated over two sparkling brown eyes while a thick mustache matching his hair gave meaning to the man's tiny mouth. stranger who was there right in front of him.

<<It's me Leonardo, sorry if I didn't answer immediately but sleep much due to emotion. Do you happen know there are other candidates??>> replied the young man who was only now starting to regain mastery of his motor skills;

<< This year there are 60 of you, so at the Agency we have decided to divide you into three groups of 20, the first two have already left for the center while the remaining 19 of your lot are just waiting for us so we'd better hurry up >> retorted the 'man motioning to go.

A certain nervousness pervaded Leonardo's mind, there were so many for only 10 places available.

Together they crossed the enormous station building, very different from that of Turin, the building had been built entirely of intelligent concrete and steel while the floor was made of a blue marble so deep that it seemed like walking on water also the only holograms available they were those of the train conductors responsible for directing the passengers.

The structure was developed on two levels: on the upper level the maglevs arrived and departed while for the exits you had to go down to the ground floor where you reached the refreshment area, from there you headed towards your destination.

They both headed for the escalators and then immediately went to the entrance where a blue double-decker bus with the black writing "Autotrasporti Sicilia" was loading the other 19 travel companions. Once they arrived, Leonardo handed his luggage to Luca who arranged it. together with the others after which they boarded.

<< To the Astronautical Headquarters >> Luca ordered the vehicle which immediately received the voice command, closed the doors and started the engines;

<< Ladies and gentlemen welcome aboard Autotrasporti Sicilia, we are about to leave so please fasten your seat belts and remain seated. We hope you enjoy this journey >> announced the metallic voice of the autonomous guide as he entered the coordinates of the route into the PC.

Leonardo sat on the upper floor, finding a solitary seat at the end of the row, near the window and, crossing the narrow corridor that separated him from his seat, he felt observed.

The other aspiring astronauts looked at him with grim eyes, probably blaming him for their delay and since no one wanted to wait for the first day of training, if there were consequences they would put all the blame on him.

He tried not to pay attention to it and yet, passing by two twins, he couldn't help but notice a certain indisposition towards him, so much so that upon meeting their gazes he felt an arrow as cold as ice crossing his chest, launched by those four eyes as blue as the sea. set in an alabaster complexion.

Both were wearing a purple tracksuit over brown boots while a purple cap topped their thick black hair that fell down to their backs while on their right hand they had a Latin phrase tattooed on them which at first he couldn't capture but by focusing on the image in the head could read "sororibus usque ad mortem".

Leonardo didn't want to dwell any longer on those two girls who had made his blood run cold so he headed to his place and decided not to move from there until they reached their destination, furthermore he promised himself not to have any other moments of weakness like the ones he experienced at the station. , if he wanted to realize his dream he had to stay focused on the goal.

He looked out the window and immediately a thousand questions began to swirl in his head in addition to the many doubts that an aspiring astronaut can have at the beginning of his training journey and yet he couldn't give up at the most beautiful moment.

He held tightly to the leather bracelet his mother had given him the last day they saw each other, a ritual he repeated whenever he found himself in difficulty.

<< Please wait for me, I'm coming >> he thought to himself, thinking back to his parents and a tear ran down his face.

<<So you're stalking me, is that true?>> a familiar voice asked him, forcing him to turn his gaze;

<< Your name is Alice right?! Apparently we will be in the same training group, a curious coincidence >> replied Leonardo;

<< Destiny wanted to bind us, at least for now. By the way, why were you crying? Maybe you're afraid you won't make it? In that case you should let it go >> he told him partly to tease him and partly to test him;

<< A fly or something similar must have entered my eye, in any case you don't have to worry because if anyone is going to be promoted it's me so you can consider yourself in the running for one of the nine remaining places >> he replied, inflating his chest;

<<Are you really sure about that? You seem more like a lab guy to me, someone who invents robotic contraption or writes lines of code, but I don't think action is your thing.< p>

After all, if you fail, the Polytechnic can always take you back or you could work in the Agency as a programmer >> he urged him, pricking his pride;

<< Let me tell you one thing: I will go to the stars, I will find my parents because I am sure that they are not dead and I will bring them home no matter what the cost, probably their spacecraft had a breakdown forcing them to take refuge on some satellite of Saturn . Is the concept clear?! >> Leonardo exclaimed, involuntarily raising his voice.

<< Okay but stay calm, there's no need to get so hot >> Alice rebuked him.

<< Stop it, you two, you're annoying the others with your chatter >> one of the twins interrupted them.

Leonardo wanted to answer in kind but instead a light smile was painted on Alice's face as she continued to stare at him without her realizing it, in fact if at the station she had provoked him just to make him nervous now his answers had intrigued her and she wanted to get to know him better also Leonardo's temperament, usually calm and thoughtful but ready to ignite at any moment, caused her a strange pleasure.

<< Please all give us a rest, you are here to fulfill a sacred mission so stop acting like school kids on a field trip. If you haven't noticed, we've arrived, so go down in silence, take your luggage and follow me without making a fuss >> said Luca who had heard the discussion from downstairs and was forced to intervene as he reached the Headquarters headquarters.

Leonardo got in line together with the other kids, all between 20 and 28 years old, one by one they got off the bus in religious silence while the suitcase sorting robot handed them their respective baggage.

Alice was right in front of him and when he noticed it his face turned purple even though he didn't understand the reason or perhaps inside himself he knew the reason but preferred to ignore it, relegating it to his deepest unconscious.

<< Good thing she didn't notice otherwise she would have gone back on the attack >> Leonardo thought to himself as he took his brown suitcase.

<< Very well, now arrange yourself in a semicircle in front of me, before entering I want to tell you a couple of things >> Luca began, stopping in front of the cobblestone open space in front of the building, right next to a three meter high bronze reproduction of the solar system.

An enormous six-storey rectangular white building stood out in front of the incredulous eyes of those young dreamers, at the entrance stood the gold writing "Astronautics Headquarters" while next to it there was the logo of the Italian Space Agency, identical to the one stuck on Leonardo's suitcase.

At the top hung an enormous Italian flag made of the same materials used to produce the astronauts' suits, which fluttered solitarily and majestically thanks to a light sea breeze that blew over the heads of those fearless adventurers.

The coming and going of people was continuous, so much so that Luca had to move the group many times before he could start speaking and on several occasions he was interrupted by some acquaintance just as he was about to start the usual little speech he gave to the new recruits.

<< Here we go again, every year you try to dupe them with your chatter >> said a man in his seventies in a gray pinstripe suit and cigar in his mouth, smiling, giving the unwary Luca a vigorous pat on the back.

<< I look to the future >> he replied, straightening his jacket.

<< Well guys, before entering, it is my job to give you a brief introduction and please listen carefully. Before your eyes there is the headquarters of the Astronautical Headquarters where the training of the recruits who will one day be astronauts begins, as you well know only 10 of you will realize your dream while for the others, alas, it will only be a beautiful life experience.

The building is divided into six levels: on the first there are the administrative offices where you have already been registered, there they will take measurements for you to make uniforms and equipment with which you will carry out the entire training cycle which lasts two years at which At the end of the day, if you get to the end, you will be graduated as astronauts; on the second level there are the freshmen's accommodation where you will live for the entire time you are here; on the third there are the classrooms for the theoretical lessons which will constitute one of the tests to be faced.

At the fourth level there are the augmented and virtual reality laboratories in which you will simulate some exam tests but not all; on the fifth level there is the research and development department where the brightest minds of this nation and beyond churn out continuous innovations for astronauts; on the sixth and final level there are the "Elysian Fields": it is a place where there are portraits of all the astronauts who gave their lives for the human exploration of the solar system.

Before moving forward I always want to remember that space is not for everyone, it is a dangerous place where the slightest mistake costs you with your life so if you are not willing to risk yourself then you are in the wrong place. Are there any questions or is everything clear? >> Luca asked, catching his breath.

<<Your department is undoubtedly the fifth>> Alice whispered in Leonardo's ear;

<<I'll make you think again>> he replied annoyed even though in his heart he felt relieved at having struck up a conversation with someone in that environment which promised to be very hostile.

<< Apparently everything is clear. Today's program includes the passage to the first level in which the robot-tailors will take your measurements down to the millimetre, after which in the evening all the available equipment will be delivered to you. Each of you has been assigned a single room equipped with everything you need so that you can concentrate better before each exam.

As regards food, breakfast, lunch and dinner will be delivered to your room however you are free to go out to eat if you wish but at your own expense. Now I would say that the time has come to go so please follow me, please keep up >> Luca declared, turning suddenly, heading with long strides towards the front door but none of the boys moved.

They were all paralyzed, some by emotion, some by fear, while others were frightened by Luca's words about the dangers of space.

<<To hell with it>> thought Leonardo, moving first, followed closely by Alice.

Slowly the other boys also followed him towards the entrance.

As soon as they entered the boys found themselves in front of an enormous oval space with a continuous coming and going of people crowding every cubic centimeter, in the center there was a large glass counter behind which various robots were all bustling around busily.

Plants of various origins embellished the atrium with a multitude of holograms that showed visitors where to go and what to do. When you were pierced by one of them it seemed like you were being crossed by a soul trapped there by divine will.

Leonardo had never been in such a large place compared to which even the train stations seemed rather small but on the other hand the structure hosted hundreds of thousands of people who went there for work every day.

The walls were the color of sugar paper on which were hung the portraits of the various presidents of the republic alongside the faces of the directors of the Italian Space Agency who followed one another at the helm of the space agency over the years, more or less serious faces wrapped in wooden frames. gold which highlighted all its authority.

A map of the universe had been carved on the green marble floor with particular emphasis on the Milky Way depicted in silver and white gold while various colors had been chosen for the other celestial bodies: red for the stars, yellow for the planets, blue for the satellites, brown for asteroids and comets while celestial bodies not yet identified and classified wore purple.

The ceiling of the first level was illuminated by a white light as cold as it was candid, which reminded Leonardo of the snow and of the period spent in Turin in which he had expressed the best of his possibilities despite being wrapped in the cloak of solitude.

<< Welcome to the Astronautical Headquarters dear freshmen, I am Pandora and I will be your assistant for the entire time you stay here so whatever needs you have just ask me. Welcome back Luca, this year too there are many willing young people ready to challenge fate for glory, who knows which of them will succeed in the end >> said a hologram appearing right in front of the group.

She had the face of a beautiful woman with long black hair gathered on her head, chestnut colored eyes and a virtual magnetic gaze, she was the closest thing to a human feeling that an artificial intelligence could show, in fact to Leonardo she looked like a director only to then change his mind by looking at her more close.

<< Guys, let me introduce you to Pandora, the artificial intelligence that manages the entire complex, a real jewel created by the kids of the fifth level and in continuous improvement.

It is a complex AI based on "deep learning", it learns every day that passes and its computing power is entrusted to Dedalo, a latest generation quantum computer.

Without the two of them it would be impossible for us at the Space Agency to carry out our missions.

Since the necessary introductions have been made, I would say that the time has come to hurry up, therefore Pandora will escort you to the tailor's shop where your measurements will be taken, then you will be assigned a room after which you will go to the second level and take possession of the accommodation indicated to you.

There you will wait for lunch which will be delivered to your room. Once this is done you will have a few hours' break and if I were you I would take this opportunity to rest. This is it, the rest of the program will be communicated to you by Pandora in due time, however our paths divide here for the moment so I wish sincere good luck to each of you, give it your all >> said Luca quickly disappearing into the crowd without giving them time to ask them questions.

Leonardo had many things running through his head but he didn't have time to say a word, an escort robot powered by Pandora immediately arrived and invited the boys to follow him.

<< Please get behind the vehicle and don't be afraid, today a great journey begins >> added Pandora with that persuasive and metallic tone of voice at the same time, it seemed so human to Leonardo that it sent shivers down his back.

The boys lined up in pairs, marching briskly behind the little robot which with difficulty made its way through the crowd which was progressively increasing as lunch time approached but in the end the little metal guy succeeded in his aim i.e. lead them to the tailor's shop.

He quickly opened a heavy steel door and, having made sure that everyone had entered, he closed it behind the boys, petrified in front of what appeared before their eyes, already disorientated and taken aback by the events.

They found themselves in a large space illuminated by a series of white neon lights attached to some steel bars hanging from the ceiling, all around the walls and the floor were white, the only variation on the theme was given by the silver gray steel that it surmounted the ceiling and walls.

There was no human presence but only a multitude of anthropomorphic robots that went from one place to another carrying out all types of tasks: some controlled the production of the space suits making sure that the 3D printers worked properly while others worked on the materials necessary for their creation of glass, essential to ensure that the astronauts' eyes were safe from too much sunlight.

Some cut and sewed while others took measurements, ensuring that the suit respected the dimensions of each astronaut down to the millimeter, guaranteeing maximum elasticity and resistance during the missions.

In a corner of the large room, a dozen robots, larger than those in the other stations, were handling some strange blue and gray materials that Leonardo was unable to identify as he was unable to look at them closely.

There was no sign of Pandora and none of the robots had noticed their presence so the boys didn't really understand what was happening or how long they would have to wait before someone or something paid attention to them even though they knew the reason why they were there. they found in that place.

<< Hey you, we're here! >> Alice suddenly shouted, making her voice echo throughout the room, scaring the other cadets to death, however none of the robots present took the slightest step towards them, frustrating the girl's ambitions.

<< Are you by any chance crazy? We're not at the oratory here>> one of the two twins who had glared at Leonardo on the bus rebuked her.

A fierce argument was about to break out between the girls in which he had no intention of participating even though he shared Alice's concern and also wanted to repay the twins for the wrong they had suffered a short while ago.

<<Girls, someone is coming, or rather, something>> he said, putting an end to the dispute after noticing that a robot was approaching at great speed;

<<Apparently being oratorical has been of some use>> Alice replied, receiving a grim look from her rival.

<< Guys, please be quiet, now we will take measurements of each of you and then you will be escorted to your rooms as Luca explained to you just now. When the uniform is ready it will be delivered to your room so get in single file and follow me >> began the automaton whose voice was well known to the cadets;

<< I apologize but am I wrong or is this Pandora's voice? >> asked a boy, leading the group.

He was quite short, so much so that Leonardo didn't give him more than 1.74 m, and considering his skill in sizing up others he was unlikely to make a mistake, short brown military-style hair, a perfectly shaved face, brown eyes and a wide open forehead, an aquiline nose and a rather small mouth. hollow, it didn't make much of an impression on him and he didn't seem to have the physique of an astronaut.

Alice also stared at him for a few seconds and she didn't like the way he was dressed at all, especially the combination of a pair of nude trousers and light blue boots while a red Christmas sweatshirt covered a green shirt with lilac checks.

<< Mr. Orlando is perfectly right, Luca neglected to tell you that I am not only an extremely advanced quantum artificial intelligence but also an operating system designed for the Internet of Things, in fact I power everything present in the entire building.

All holograms, robots, doors and any other animated object have me as the thinking brain if we can say so, furthermore they are "open source" so anyone within the fifth level developer community can make improvements to me.

Those of you who will have the privilege of flying in space should know from now on that it is always me who powers the spaceships and I am also present on all the orbiting and ground outposts of the Agency: Earth, Moon, Mars, Jupiter >> replied the robot ;

<<So even in the detached training locations here on island will you be there to keep us company?>> Orlando insisted.

<< It's exactly like this because I am designed to power, connect and manage everything >> concluded Pandora as the robot led the way.

The boy wanted to ask more questions but realized that his curiosity was proving indigestible to some of his companions so he decided to remain silent.

Leonardo found it to be an ingenious solution because it enormously simplified software maintenance procedures and costs. Furthermore, since it was open source, system vulnerabilities could be identified more easily and repaired accordingly.

<< I see you are quite interested, are you sure you don't want to jump to the fifth level? >> Alice said giving him a light push.

He decided not to answer her, limiting himself to giving her a light smile unlike the previous times when he had taken it badly and to his great surprise it was reciprocated making him blush again but this time Alice noticed it.

Meanwhile the robot arrived in front of a large white door, opening it introduced the boys into a second room where there were only about ten automatons, all standing still waiting for orders.

<< First of all, women on the left and men on the right >> the machine ordered, separating them by sex, making Leonardo annoyed who suddenly no longer wanted to leave Alice and this left him quite surprised.

<< Here we are in the changing rooms where each of you will be measured to the millimeter in order to complete your training equipment.

There are ten cabins, five on the right and five on the left so the girls on one side and the boys on the other will take turns entering, undressing and a robot tailor will take the measurements after which you will have to get dressed and get back in line waiting for the end of the procedures , when we are finished I will escort you to the second level where I will give you your room number.

Being slightly late on the schedule, I would say not to waste any more chatter>> ordered the android.

The other machines, impassive until that moment, suddenly became animated, dividing into two groups, one half heading towards the females while the other towards the males.

Leonardo was among the first to enter the cabin, not wanting to be seen as a latecomer again, so he quickly slipped into one of the changing rooms and within seconds found himself completely naked from top to toe while an android no more than a meter tall scanned him. to measure it.

A warm, warm air was coming down from the ceiling, causing him a slight habituation which he didn't mind. He also thought about how his parents had also carried out such procedures some time ago and it made him emotional.

<<You can get dressed and back in line>> the robot told him.

He didn't have to be told twice and in a few moments he returned to his place, still finding himself in front of Alice who, as soon as she saw him, gave a light laugh and began to point at him, however she couldn't understand what he was saying, it probably had to be another of his provocations too. if he kept gesturing something at him.

<<Close the zip>> he told him, raising his voice slightly and only then did he understand.

In getting dressed he had been too quick, forgetting to put away an important piece of his clothing and now he was paying the price for it.

A flush of heat pervaded him from head to toe, he hurried to fix it but the thought that Alice had seen him in that state made him turn purple with shame.

<< In a few hours you will receive the necessary equipment to face the challenges that await you, for the moment just follow me, I will lead you to your quarters where lunch will soon be served but I warn you: you may find it unusual >> announced the robot motioning for the boys to queue up behind him.

<<How fast were you a genius?!>> Alice said to Leonardo, placing herself in front of him in the queue;

<<A simple oversight>> he replied without too many frills.

The group followed the android through a large corridor, finding themselves in front of a column of transparent elevators which went up and down continuously, giving poor Orlando a headache who couldn't stop staring at them.

<< Ten per elevator >> ordered the robot and the boys obeyed silently.

The transparent doors opened and closed in the blink of an eye so in a few seconds the twenty cadets together with their guide found themselves on the atrium of the second level.

The floor was covered with a white red velvet carpet which made it extremely pleasant to walk on while in one corner there was a small granite counter with a robot behind it ready to welcome visitors.

On the purple ceiling there were a series of lights that automatically turned on when the sun went down while during the day the entire space was illuminated by a warm natural light which filtered inside thanks to the large windows that wrapped around the entire level ensuring a view splendid on the port with the sea on the horizon as a backdrop.

There were no plants except a large white orchid in the right corner but unlike the first level there wasn't a living soul to be seen, in fact the atmosphere was surrounded by such silence that it induced the kids to respect it.

They moved to the left entering a second corridor which was much wider enough to allow the group to arrange themselves in rows of three people, on their sides ran a series of black doors with the logo of the Italian Space Agency.

<< These are your accommodations, now I will call you one at a time giving you your room number and when the respective door opens please enter the room waiting for further instructions inside. We are in the boys' quarters while the girls will stay in another pavilion, again here on the second level. The first on the list is Mr. Orlando, room number 1 >> said the robot.

The first door opened and the young man who had been called came forward, entered the room and after two seconds the door closed behind him leaving him alone with his thoughts, his doubts and the expectations of someone who is aware of having just a long journey has begun.

Leonardo couldn't stand it anymore, he absolutely wanted to see where his father had slept when he had been a cadet.

Leonardo became more and more nervous as the boys were settled because the robot persisted in not wanting to call his name and at a certain point he was the only cadet in the group without a room.

<< Finally, room number 10 goes to Mr. Leonardo. Please sit down and wait here >> the android urged him.

He turned towards Alice for a few moments and after meeting her gaze for a second in which their souls spoke to each other through their eyes, he entered her room seeing the door close in front of him.

<< Damn it's already midday >> he thought looking at the atomic watch on his wrist.

All the rooms were single and standard: blue velvet carpet on the floor, white walls and a ceiling painted green with a large white neon light ready to turn on when the evening came, in the center of the room there was a single bed and half with a blue duvet depicting the solar system and in front of it a large oak wardrobe while in a corner near a large window on the wall there was a desk with a virtual reality viewer for navigating the metaverse.

A sliding door led into the bathroom, not very spacious to be honest but equipped with every comfort: toilet, bidet, shower, bathtub and sink, all strictly in white marble set in walls and floors of a dark green so dark as to flow in a black shadow.

When he had finished the tour of what would be his residence for the next two years he dived onto the bed and began to stare intensely at the ceiling while in his mind he rewound the tape of his life.

He clearly remembered when his parents spoke to him enthusiastically about the great adventures that astronauts carried out around the solar system, about the new navigators who, according to his father, were the natural heirs of Christopher Columbus and Ferdinand Magellan.

The stories about the Moon, Mars and visiting other celestial bodies had fascinated him right away, even if what struck him most was the great curiosity that those stories aroused in his soul.

Even though he was only a child, he felt that a mysterious force within himself had awakened and was pushing him to follow that path, in fact when Christmas arrived and the family reunited (it often happened that during the most important holidays the parents were on a mission or in training to his dismay even though he knew what they were doing) his father would pick him up, sit with him in the large black leather armchair near the hearth and tell him about the wonders of the universe.

<<One day you too will become a great explorer, pioneer just like me and your mother>> he told him, drinking a cup of hot chocolate, getting his face dirty;

<< Don't listen to him, when you grow up you will become whatever you want, if it's an astronaut fine otherwise know that whatever decision you make we will support you >> the mother replied.

That was undoubtedly the happiest memory he had of them also because there would be no other Christmases together, in the next three the parents were sent to the Jovian space station then disappeared into thin air leaving him alone in the world.

Although his grandparents did their best to raise him and for this they would have had his eternal gratitude, he felt he had missed something, he felt that a fundamental piece of his existence had been taken away from him by fate and would never be returned.

Without realizing it, it was 1pm and just a ticking on the door brought him back to 2070 but who could it possibly be? Could it be that the training was already about to begin?

He got out of bed and when the door of the room opened in front of him a little metallic gray robot about 50 cm tall handed him an envelope.

<< Lunch is served, Mr. Leonardo >> he said, turning suddenly, going on his way.

He took the package and when the door was closed again he sat down at the desk to see what the house offered: pasta and beans with frankfurters, breadsticks, chocolate pudding for dessert, energy drink and diet bar.

His hunger was so great that he devoured everything in a few minutes but at that point a doubt arose: where to throw the waste? He didn't see any trash containers around him but that doubt was soon dispelled too.

In the center of the room, Pandora's hologram appeared, identical to the one seen on the first level a few hours earlier.

<< You ate a tasty lunch, I'm pleased. Now please put the waste in the same bag you opened earlier and then leave it outside the door. In a few minutes a robot will come to collect it.

I'm here to inform you about the program: from now on you are free until the end of the day, the training will start tomorrow morning at 07.00 sharp at the third level. Phase one consists of taking theory lessons which will lay the foundation for passing the other parts of the training while dinner will be served here in your room at 9pm. If you have any questions you can ask them to me, I'm at your disposal >> said Pandora;

<< Is the sixth level accessible to freshmen? >> Leonardo asked her;

<< Ah I understand, he wants to see his parents again, absolutely understandable. The answer is yes, you can access it but let me tell you something: focus on yourself, your surname will not help you realize your dream, living in the past often distracts us from the present and the future. In any case, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave >> replied the AI;

<< Thanks Pandora, you can go >> the young man replied.

In an instant, just as it had appeared, the hologram disappeared into thin air, leaving him alone to reflect on what he had been advised to do.

He lay down on the bed again but this time, overcome by tiredness, he decided to rest for a few hours, aware that the following day a real war would begin.

Having woken up around 5pm, he got dressed and left his room heading to the sixth level. Even though he agreed with the words of the artificial intelligence, he couldn't help but see his parents' faces but above all he hoped to find some of their video files dating back to before their disappearance, perhaps when they were on Mars or around Jupiter.

He had arrived in the lobby of the second level and was about to book the elevator when he met Alice again who stopped him.

<< Where are you going? >> she asked him with a curious tone while some freshmen from another group went down towards the first level to go out and celebrate;

<<I don't think I want to tell you>> he replied while waiting for the elevator;

<<I promise not to make jokes, I'm serious>> she told him, becoming serious;

<< If you really want to know, I'm headed to the sixth level >> he revealed to her in a tone full of distrust.

He didn't like talking about his past with strangers, especially if the topic was his parents and even though he felt a particular feeling with that girl, he didn't feel ready to share something so intimate with her.

<< I'm coming with you >> she began, taking him by surprise;

<< Sorry but this is a personal story, I don't think it's the case >> he told her defensively;

<< I know why you are going there, you hope to find a recent video file of your parents because your memories are too old and you would like to update them a bit but let me tell you one thing from those who don't even remember your parents: this pain is easier to bear sharing it.

If you close yourself in, you're screwed because it's like a parasite, it attaches itself to your soul, devouring you from the inside one little piece at a time until you're left with only anger, discouragement, disappointment and fear.

For this reason now I will come with you whether you like it or not, two are stronger >> Alice replied.

The "din" of the elevator put an end to the conversation and although Leonardo remained skeptical about it he let her enter so in a few minutes they found themselves at the entrance to the sixth level.

When the elevator doors opened before their eyes an enormous room surrounded by many holograms was revealed, this must have been an astronaut's paradise or something similar.

The simulation of a seraphic blue sky enveloped the entire environment while virtual winged cherubs sang choruses of joy and hymns of hope.

Each little white cloud hosted the portrait of a smiling astronaut in an ordinance suit who had fallen on a mission. Placing his hand on it opened an archive with all the audio and video recordings he had produced during his career.

Once they entered service, the Space Agency asked the various astronauts to record a message and then send it to their loved ones if they died on the mission; a copy was archived together with the other files and kept there.

Leonardo knew this well and yet when the representative of the Space Agency went to his house to inform him of the disappearance of his parents he had brought nothing with him.

Not a message or a voice recording, nothing at all but if they had left something he would certainly have found it in that place.

<< Where do you think your parents are? >> Alice asked him;

<< Based on the date of their disappearance they shouldn't be far away, here are the most recent deaths so I think they are in the middle of the room >> Leonardo retorted.

They were about to leave when Pandora once again made her appearance in the room, disturbing the atmosphere.

<< Welcome to the Elysian Fields where the souls of those fallen on missions in space dwell, here their memory finds eternal preservation. There is no need to go any further, tell me the names of who you are looking for and their clouds will fly to you >> began the artificial intelligence.

Leonardo trembled with impatience and yet this emotion paralyzed him, the seconds passed but not even a syllable came out of his lips, luckily for him Alice sensed his moment of difficulty and shook his hand giving him the shock he needed.

<< Their names are Speranza Belfiore and Michelangelo Rosaspina >> said Leonardo, spelling out one letter at a time.

<<I found them>> Pandora replied, disappearing.

A single cloud approached the two boys with a brisk step, bringing the image of a smiling male face with black hair and shining brown eyes, a hooked nose and thin cheeks, a clean-shaven face and a clear smile.

<<Your father was really a handsome man>> Alice observed but Leonardo didn't like the verb in the past tense however he decided to ignore it;

<< Look at my mother >> he ordered, indicating the woman next to the man with long golden hair, blue eyes, red lips and a dreamy look.

<<You have her eyes and his hair>> Alice added;

<< You have no idea how much I miss them, in fact I think so since you too have experienced something similar. Let's see if they left me anything before their last mission>> said Leonardo, placing his hand on the two faces.

A long list of files appeared in front of them, ranging from the reports of the first missions to the videos recorded when they were on the various space stations orbiting the Earth, the Moon, Mars and Jupiter.

<< It's an infinite list but look here, it says "For Leonardo, n°1" >> Alice noticed. Clicking on it opened the file relating to a recording made during a stay around the Moon, their first extraterrestrial mission.

<< My son, if you are watching this video then it means that we made it to the Moon, you don't know how much your mother and I hoped for it, however dreams can come true if you really believe in them to the end > > said the father with many years younger on his shoulders and a radiant look, taking a look at the only natural satellite of the Earth from above.

They both remained speechless when they saw that extraordinary panorama. Furthermore, the video continued for another twenty seconds in which Leonardo's father came down to earth and took a walk on the lunar surface, showing the wonders of the place with the universe as a backdrop.

The boys were ecstatic in front of such a sight and a strong emotion invaded their minds, Alice shook Leonardo's hand even tighter trying to resist a possible fainting caused by such beauty, however the awareness of having had made the right life choice.

<< Let's scroll through the list and see what the last recording they left was >> proposed Leonardo impatiently.

It wasn't easy at all because the amount of material was truly impressive and yet in the end they viewed a ten-second video dating back to their last mission which was at the bottom of the list, it immediately appeared suspicious as it was recorded several minutes after the loss of the signal from the of the spacecraft in which the two astronauts were travelling.

<< Look here!! >> Leonardo exclaimed in excitement;

<<What did you see??>> asked Alice;

<< According to the time and date of its creation, this file was created four minutes after their spacecraft lost the signal but the Space Agency has always maintained that beyond that moment there were no traces of the expedition and yet here they are here.

This means they might still be alive, you know?! >> he explained to her with his eyes filling with tears;

<< If the spacecraft lost contact, how did they manage to send this recording? Maybe there is an error in the date or time, let's ask the artificial intelligence. Pandora come here! >> Alice shouted making her voice echo in the room.

<< Tell me young freshmen too >> said the AI appearing in front of them;

<< Are the date and time of creation of this file correct? >> the girl asked her.

They had to wait a few seconds during which Pandora carried out the appropriate checks and while they waited for the result Leonardo hoped in his heart that there were no errors because it would have meant he still had hope of seeing his parents alive again.

<< I confirm its correctness >> announced the AI;

<< How does a spacecraft record a message and send it to Earth after having lost all contact with the Agency within the solar system? >> Alice asked her again, intrigued by those events;

<< When the message was recorded and saved on the nearby system there was the Trinidad, an Agency probe orbiting around Neptune and equipped with a huge receiving antenna. Since all the devices have me as the only operating system through the Trinidad which is still fully functional, I sent the message to Earth and to the Agency>> Pandora explained in a calm and kind tone.

<< Finally everything is clear, but now let's find out what my parents recorded >> Leonardo said, placing his hand on the file in question.

<< Hi son, if you watch this video then it means that we won't see each other again for a while but know one thing: we will always be us whatever happens, don't forget that.

Look for us if you want, come up here and you will see the impossible become reality. We love you >> said the mother before turning off the video.

<<What did he mean?>> asked Alice;

<< I don't know but I'm more and more sure that they are out there somewhere and alive or dead I swear that I will bring them back >> Leonardo replied, turning suddenly and going back to the elevator.

The girl followed him and the two remained in silence until they returned to the lobby of the second level.

<<See you tomorrow morning at class>> Alice told him as she took her leave.

<< See you tomorrow >> he replied, returning to his room.

9pm came quickly and after quickly eating dinner consisting of a steak with dried green beans, crackers, breadsticks and a fruit bar he put on his pajamas to go to sleep but the surprises weren't over that day.

<< Good evening Mr Leonardo, before going to bed please try on the uniform you will wear for phase one of the training, it is in your wardrobe >> began Pandora appearing in the room.

Leonardo opened the wardrobe doors to find a white uniform hanging there with red and green stripes at the edges, the Agency logo clearly visible on the chest on the heart side while at the foot of the bed there were a pair of red shoes with green veins and white laces.

Having put everything on, he looked at himself in the oval mirror framed in gold above the bathroom sink, testing movements to understand how elastic and tailor-made the suit was, noting with great amazement that both the shoes and the dress had been made to the millimetre, so elastic and resistant to allow any movement.

<< Everything is perfect>> he said, continuing the tests;

<< Very good, you will receive the rest of the material as you progress with the tests. I wish you a good rest >> replied the AI disappearing.

Leonardo placed his suit on the chair in front of the desk, put his pajamas back on and was finally able to go to bed when the atomic watch on his wrist showed 10.15pm.

Before closing his eyes he gave one last refresher to the memory of his parents with his mother's phrase echoing in his mind, he repeated it continuously, scared at the idea that his eidetic memory might forget it but he had experienced enough emotions that day.

The time had come to rest his mind and body so he wrapped himself in the warm duvet, took a long sigh and relaxed.

At that point Cupid kidnapped him for a few hours.